Compressor valve trouble?

[MikeFerrara]

I changed the oil today and started it up. After about a half hour running I shut it down and noticed smoke comming from the first stage intake. Normal? I never noticed it before if it is.

Checking things further I saw that there had been some leakage around the cap nut of the second stage head. When I went to check that the nut was tight it jus fell off as soon as I touched it. The stud is broke just below the nut.

Oil and stage pressures were normal. Temp seemed normal with the intake being warm and the outlet hot.

The compressor is a Bauer Capitano with a little over 500 hours since rebuild.

The whole thing is clean and doesn't go through oil.

I guess I'll be driving 3 hours this morning to get gas for next week.

 

[rmediver2002]

Man that stinks...

Perhaps (hopefully) it was just a material failure of the retaining bolt and you will be up and running soon!!

 

[MikeFerrara]

The busted stud is one issue but I'm concerned about the "smoke" from the intake on shut off too. I never noticed it before and I'm not real sure what it means.

 

[pescador775]

Oh my, I'll put on my thinking cap and get back to you if you haven't figured it out. You are in a better position than me. Know this: Occasionally, the Capitano oil pump will develop an air lock. This happens when the oil is poured in too fast. The pump generates foam which has reduced volume and lubricity. The pump must be bled. Perhaps the cap nut was over torqued during overhaul. If the third stage valves were bad the relief valve on the interseparator should have popped. It's easy to hear. (POW)
Pesky

The busted stud is one issue but I'm concerned about the "smoke" from the intake on shut off too. I never noticed it before and I'm not real sure what it means.

 

[MikeFerrara]

Oh my, I'll put on my thinking cap and get back to you if you haven't figured it out. You are in a better position than me. Know this: Occasionally, the Capitano oil pump will develop an air lock. This happens when the oil is poured in too fast. The pump generates foam which has reduced volume and lubricity. The pump must be bled. Perhaps the cap nut was over torqued during overhaul. If the third stage valves were bad the relief valve on the interseparator should have popped. It's easy to hear. (POW)
Pesky

No pop. I guess that's good.

I talked to a guy at August Industries today who said that some oil mist was "normal".

I won't discount the possibility of a air lock but there aren't any bubbles in the sight glass window...if that means anything. I could bleed the pump just to be on the safe side.

This guy also claimed that I could leave the busted stud go until it was time to check the valves.

 

[pescador775]

No bubbles, no problem. The cap nut (acorn nut) is sealed with a gasket so twisting off the stud could cause some oil or gas to leak. Still, the tech's advice sounds OK. Personally, I hate that kind of stuff and would order the parts right away. However, the compressor sounds like it is safe to use. Oil mist from the 'intake' is odd. It sounds like there is excess blowby coming in from the PCV tube. I say, 'sounds like' but it could mean a number of things so one shouldn't take any action on my speculation. Normally, this blowby would be pumped into cyl #2 and on unless something was awry with the number 1 cyl pressure or the second or third stage valves. I'm wondering if the gorilla who tightened the nut could have distorted the valve when he used the hex wrench on the stud. However, I believe you said the cyl pressures were OK. Well, all I can say from here is keep an eye on it.

No pop. I guess that's good.

I talked to a guy at August Industries today who said that some oil mist was "normal".

I won't discount the possibility of a air lock but there aren't any bubbles in the sight glass window...if that means anything. I could bleed the pump just to be on the safe side.

This guy also claimed that I could leave the busted stud go until it was time to check the valves.